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1 R. HAMILTON. AUTOMATIC'FIRE EXTINGUESHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION HLED AUG. 6,]9l5

- Y Patented Aug. 19, 1919."

Tm: COLUMBIA 'LANOGRAPH cO.. -\VASHINGTON. n. c

UNITED strA Es PA T OFFICE.

JOHN B. HA ILTO or on ers, YORK, Assreivon TO sYrHo-onEMIcAL SPRINKLER CORPORATION, or'ono'rou-on-nunson, NEW YORK, A CORPORA- TION or NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

This invention relates especially to chemical fire extinguishing apparatus in which a distributing system which'may comprise automatic or other distributing devices arranged at suitable points around the building' is connected to a supplemental supply of extinguishing liquid and is normally kept at substantially the desired'emergency pressure; Under emergency conditions extinguishing liquid can be supplied to the dis-- tributing system prefer ably through chemical pressure producing means which may comprise a pressure responsive automatic discharging device for controlling the dis charge of one of the pressure producing chemicals in such way as to maintain a sub stantially consta-nt'discharge pressure from the system throughout at least alarge part of its emergency action.

In the accompanying drawing showing in a somewhat diagrammatic way illustra tive embodiments of this invention Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing one form of the invention. 7 i

' Fig. 2'is a similarview showing a'modification; and v Fig. 3 is asimilar sectioirshowing still another form.

The distributing system may befof'i'any' desired form and construction and 'may,fo'r instance, comprise a supplypipe' 3 and suit-1 able distributing lines, such as 6, connected therewith and provided with automat-icor other distributingdevices such as the automatic sprinkler head '7 3 arranged at'suitable points around thebuilding to be protected. In" order to .eifect its more rapid and effective action under emergency conditions the distributing; system may insome cases be normally charged with extinguishing liquid of1 'any 1 suitable character, ion-freezing I so lutionsbeing desirable or low teniperaf ture; V W k '.A-eurhl m ."Su p y Q Q Xt t;

Specification of Letters ratelit.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

'- Application file'd August 6, 1915; SerialNo. 43,912.

' guishing liquid of 1 any suitable character may be arranged-in connection with the dis-.

tributing system so as to be operated p1 efer-, ably by chemlcally produced pressure gen erated in any suitable way and supply addit1onal extlnguishing liquid to the system under emergency conditions. This supple mental supply may, for example, comprise a chemical pressure tank 1 containing a charge 5 of pressure producing extinguishing liquid, such as the ordinary carbonate solution, and a suitable supply connection 2- and strainer may be used to supply thisliquid to the supply pipe 3 or other part 7 conditions. 7 r

For some purposes it 7 V mally keep the distributing system underthe desired 'emergency'pre'ssure of 50-to 100 of the distributing system under emergency pounds or so per square inch and thismay be-conveniently efiected fbymaintai'ning' a corresponding air pressure in the upper part of the tank 1 through any suitable means or connections, and it is, desirable in order to minimize air absorption to interpose-Ia film or layer of relatively nonabsorptive material'between the liquid in thetank' and the air or other'pressu're medium employed above. "For this purpose a thin layer or film 455] of relatively heavy mineral oil may be used, for example, a few ouncesgbeing" su'liicient -toprevent undesirableabsorptive contact throughout a tank of considerable size. The chemical mixing means for causing or-niaintaining' the desired emergency ressure may'fbe of any suitable; character e 7 0 is desirable to nor-' whatever; preferably comprising a pressure responsive member. or diaphragm which may act to constantlymaintain the tank pressure,

at the desired'amount' above that of the -at', mosphere; For. this purpose a suitable casing or acid chamber 15 may be mounted" onl the tank to holda charge 17 of sulfuric acid or other pressure producing chemical, a re] j silient diaphragm' or member 9 being arrange-d, if. f'desired, 'albove" iofthe chamber; so as to be subjected through the; l

siz qe i s p gem-te thei'pres 1 su e withinf the tank which i thus also ex? Gilt-Ba i top t e i'nicalf harge 1 7.

Thi pres ure ,r pQn'sive diaphragm y, if

, tly connectedto theatre- I ii 7 s1 me s; 9?, :i e r' i 1 13 through the valve stem 8 and a spring such as 10 may o p a wi h the diaphragm so as to exert thereon the desired pressure .the action of the interposed washer 13 mounted within the yoke or frame 14 which may also serve to, hold the diaphragm 9 in position tightly closingthe top of the acid casing. Under emergency conditions when I one or more of the distributing devices auto:

inatically open to. discharge liquid from the system this, causes. a suff cient reduction in the tank pressure so that this pressure is no. lo ger su i ient to. h ld the pressure ree sponsive diaphragm in its upper position in:

dicated and the spring can thus force it QA s l, u slightly open ng the auto,- matically discharging valve 18 and allowing acid to des end i t the m xing; tank where promptly develops further PI QSSlEO. through its chemical action on the carbonate extinguishing liquid charge 5. In this wa suflicient chemical pressure is produced so. hat. he tank pressu e s. restored to. the desired emergency pressurewhich thereupon raises. th diaph agm. a d onnected sh rgi g v ve intth clos d pos t n n-v dicated in Fig. l. For some purposes it is. desirable. to have the valve open gradually so. that its first movement discharges relaiv y sm l quant ties h p essu e pm: d r ng c em sal Whil f rther on ns movement discharges the. chemical more. and e rapidly. F r thi nm p s it is som ims desirab t av the al form d wi h. he, sl ghtly enis hape. he ng h som h ex gge a e Fisand this progressively opening action may also be pr met d kin the v ve e e a ively h n whe e t oa ith hesea e the vsl se d y t em ng i dere s fla r rec din Peruse 8 ishtlv above valve seat when the valve closed, so that when any considerable opening movement occurs a relatively large discharge opening produced through which much larger quantities are discharged than through the small annular opening around the conical valve when it first opens.

Another, arrangement is shown in Fig. 2 as comprising a dry pipe distributing system connected to a similar supplemental supply of extinguishing liquid or; mixing tank 1,51 pi h le q al zi p ssa 2, the size of which is much exaggerated in the, drawing, being preferably provided in the supply connection, 2 somewhat above the normal level of the charge 5 of carbonate or other extinguishing liquid in the tank which may normally he kept at the desired emergency pressure of 5,0 to 100 pounds a square inch more or less. The supplemental pressure producing means may in this case comprise a casing- 30 mounted on the tank and contain ing a chemical or acid chamber 29 having the charge 24. of sulfuric acid 0,1" other pressure producing chemical normally contained in its lower portion while its relatively larger upper portion can be main tained air-tight when the filling plug 31 is screwed home. The automatic discharging means comprises a suitable siphon in this case having a discharge leg 22 communicating through the apertures 25 with the bell shaped receiving leg or member 23 which may be arranged around the same so. that when the top, of the siphon is closed the acid charge may enter at the point 28 and be" freely discharged through suitable openings, such as 21, at. the bottom of the discharge leg so, as to mix with the carbonate liquid. 5.. Such action naturally occurs under emergency conditions when the discharge of liquid from the system lowers the air or other gaseous pressure in the top. of the tank so that it is then less than the pressure of the ai above the acid charge, thus causing the discharge of; acid until sufiicient additional Pre u e is ch mica y de l p d i t a k o stop th acti n. t is t r some purposes des r ble; o ha e t e a r pa of t e id chamber normally in conununication with e r pa e is the main tank. a d t m y be.- conveniently elfected by forming an q liz n entin pa sag 26 n. he pper Part f th s phon. de is tha e u matically closing vent valve 27 may tightly. close this passage under emergency conditions when the float 19 connected to this valve through the. stem 20 falls. on the firstsubstantial di cha ge r l -qli ro the tank. In this way no, undesirable. action may be caused by ordinary temperature va; riations and yet, as soon as any one ofthe distributing devices comes into emergency action the. float and connected vent valve descend and the further intermittent. feeding of the pressure producing acid charge continues whenever the tank pressurev drops until practically the. entire charge of acid has been discharged into the mixing. tank.

Another arrangement is shown in; Fig. 3 as comprising a wet pipe distributing system which may be normally charged with any suitable extinguishing liquid 33, such as suitable non-freezing solution for instance, above the check valve 35; The system may be kept under the. desired emer- Q lCY pressure by maintaining this pressure in the upper part of the mixing tank above the charge'of carbonate or other extinguish}. ing liquid 5 therein and if; desired a suit able priming pressure chamber 36 may be used in connectionwith the distributing system and connectedi thereto. as through the priming I connection. 34: between the system and the lower part of this primingtank, the upper part of which may be connected through anair'iconnectioni or pipe 37 with the air space in the chemical tank. Under emergency conditions the discharge of liquid from one or more of thes'prinkl'er heads or other distributing devicscauses the discharge of liquid from the system and the consequentreduction'l'in the. pressure of the air or other gaseous medium in the top'of the tank so as to bring into action the pressure responsive chemical mixing devices shown which may be of, substantially the same construction and arrangement as described in connection with Fig. 1. In this way the sulfuric acid or other pressure producing chemical 17 is gradually discharged from the acid chamber in amounts suflicient to substantially maintain the emergency pressure in the tank and system throughout at least a considerable part of the discharge of the liquid in the tank.

This invention has been described in connection with a number of illustrative embodiments, forms, arrangements, materials, proportions, sizes and parts of the apparatus, to the details of which disclosure the invention is'not of course to be limited, since what is claimed as new and what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. In automatic chemical fire extinguishing apparatus, a. distributing system normally charged with carbonate extinguishing liquid and comprising automatic distributing devices, a connected supplemental supply of extinguishing liquid comprising a chemical mixing tankcharged with carbonate extinguishing liquid and normally kept under the desired emergency pneumatic pressure and cooperating chemical mixing devices comprising an acid chamber provided with pressure responsive automatic discharging means comprising a valve allowing progressively increasing rates of discharge as it .opensand a directly connected pressure responsive resilient acid charge and acted on on one side by the pressure within said mixing tank and acted.

on on the other side by atmospheric pressure and an adjustable compensating spring tending to open said valve'on substantial decrease of the pressure in said tank in order to compensate for any gradual-pressure reduction during the inoperative condition of the system and to substantially maintain such emergency pressure during fire emergency conditions.

2. In automatic chemical fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributingfsystem com prising automatic distributing devices, a

connected supplemental supply of extindiaphragm above said guishing liquid comprising a chemical mix ing tank charged with carbonlc extinguishng liquid and. normally kept under the de ing an acid chamber provided with pressure responsive automatic discharging 'means comprising a. valve allowing progressively increasing rates of discharge as it opens and a directly? connected] pressure responsive diaphragm above said acid charge and acted on on one side "by the pressure w'ithinsaid mixing tank and acted on on the other side by atmospheric pressure and a compensating spring tending to open said valve on substantial decrease of the pressure in said tank in order to compensate for any gradual pressure reduction during the inoperative condition of the system and to substantially maintain such emergency pressure during fire emergency conditions. 7

3. In automatic chemical fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system comprising distributing devices, a connected supplemental supp of extinguishing liquid comprising achemical mixing tank charged with carbonate liquid and normally kept under the desired emergency pneumatic pressure and cooperating chemical mixing devices comprising an acid chamber provided with pressure responsive automatic discharging means comprising a valve and a connected pressure responsive diaphragm above said acid charge and acted on on one side by the pressure within said mixing tank tending to open said valve on substantial decrease of the pressure in said tank in order to compensate for any gradual pressure reduction during the inoperative condi- 7 tion of the system and to substantially maintam such emergency pressure during fire emergency conditions.

4:. In chemicalfire extinguishing appara tus, a distributing system normally charged with extinguishing liquid and comprising automatic distributing devices, a connected supplemental supply of extinguishing liquid comprising a chemical mixing tank charged with carbonate extin normally kept under t e desired emergency pressure and-cooperating chemical mixing devices comprising an acid chamber provided with pressure responsive automatic discharging means comprising a valve allowing progressively increasing rates of discharge as it opens and a connected pressure responsive diaphragm above said' acid charge and acted on on one side by :the pressure within said mixing tank and acted on: on the other side by atmospheric pressure and tending to open on substantial de: crease of the pressure in said tank. V

5. In fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with ex tinguishing liquid andcomprising distributishing liquid and ng devices, a connected supplemental supply of extinguishing liquid comprising a chemical mixing tank charged With carbonate exting'uishing liquid and normally kept under the desired emergency pressure and coop erating chemical mixing devices comprising an acid chamber provided with pressure responsive automatic discharging means comprising a valve and a connected pres.- sure responsive diaphragm acted on on one JOHN R. HAMILTON. Witnesses:

HARRY L. DUNCAN, 'J B. KAY-i m: or this patent m y be b in or fiv cams eaeh, by mana ing: the cnmmism .31 2mm, weshm mai. W" 

